Resident physicians and fellows at Einstein Healthcare Network voted Wednesday to join the nation's largest house staff union.
The residents and fellows voted, 365 to 35, to unionize under the Committee of Interns and Residents, which is part of the Service Employees International Union and represents more than 33,000 hospital staffers in the United States.
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The vote comes amid a wider push toward unionization by doctors in training. In November, 3,000 residents and fellows at four Philadelphia hospitals, including Einstein, began mounting a unionization campaign, saying they wanted better working conditions and higher pay.
Einstein's house staff became the second in Pennsylvania to unionize, following the 1,400 residents and fellows at Penn Medicine, who unionized in May 2023. In the coming weeks, house staff at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and Temple University Hospital are expected to vote on whether to join CIR.
Not every unionization push has been successful: Last month, the residents and fellows at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia voted against joining CIR by a 195 to 178 vote.
Einstein, which is owned by Jefferson Health, employs 545 residents and fellows. Dr. Grace Cho, an Einstein resident, said the next step for the residents and fellows is to secure a "fair contract."
"This was a hard-fought campaign, and we did it," Cho said in a news release. "After months of organizing, we can finally celebrate our win. This is the first step in securing what we need to make residency and fellowship in Philadelphia the very best it can be for us, our families, and our patients."
Jefferson Health issued a statement saying it respects their decision to unionize.
"We remain committed to maintaining an environment of exceptional medical training, open communication, and collaboration to ensure the success and well-being of our residents as we deliver outstanding patient care," the statement said.